Following up on the discussion from the Feb. 18 meeting, here is the team’s next homework assignment. You can always count on presence of homework, no matter how much education changes.
Below is the list of possible capabilities for students that the team identified at the last meeting. Your assignment: pick one capability from the list below and briefly explain how that capability might translate to the following areas: the classroom, the workplace, higher education, at home and within the community. Leave your answer in the comment section below. (For more about how to leave comments on this page, read this post).
- Constantly changing technology applied to problem-solving
- Global thinking/acceptance of other cultures and societies (8)
- Collaboration (7)
- Ability to maintain positive interdependent relationships (2)
- Ability to discern good/reliable information from bad/unreliable information (6)
- Critical thinking skills (8)
- Capability to communicate clearly among various media
- Problem-solving abilities (7)
- Realize where they are and where they want to be and develop a plan to get there
- Value others opinions (2)
- Open to new ideas
- Pay attention in class
- Ability to learn new things (5)
- Technology understanding (6)
- Flexibility (3)
- People/social skills (3)
- Hard work ethic (2)
- Occupational mobility/Willingness to relocate (4)
- Perseverance
- Greater understanding of media outlets
- Creativity (4)
- Self-criticism
- Physical fitness & preventive healthcare (2)
- Empathy (2)
- Building social capital & effective civic engagement
- Prioritizing/procrastination
- Effective communication (writing, speaking, listening) (7)
- Multi-talented (back-up plans)
- Open-minded to various careers
- Environmental Issues
- Use all opportunities that are provided to increase knowledge and skills
- Information transferred to application
- Risk taking
- Self Advocacy
- Reading
- Understanding self and others
- New media literacy
- Lifelong learners
To me being a Lifelong Learner is the key to a successful life. As we enter school and venture into a classroom we are exposed to many new ideas and learning experiences. As we travel from the classroom to our workplaces we must learn to be a team member. In our venture to higher education we continue with our Lifelong Learning. In our homes each day brings new experiences, organization,and decision making which adds to our Lifelong Learning. As we go into our communities we must adjust our lives to be a part of our changing society. To be successful in life we must be a Lifelong Learner.
ReplyDeleteTrevor Moore said...
ReplyDeleteI feel that students main capibilities should be problem solving. I think this because everyone faces problems in life and not everybody can handle these situations, and students should know how to problem solve. We rely on technology to do everything when we take everyday skills and through them down the drain. Even in the computer age we will face problems; issues at home, a fight with your boss, even your computer breaking down. technology can't fix these things and we'll have to step up to the plate. How can we when we don't even know how to live life without computers? That's the big question. How? Sure computers are a great break through but computers didn't just pop up, problem solvers invented them. We can be problem solvers.
So, true, Sandra! And one thought that applies to several of our topics, but perhaps particularly to "Constantly changing technology applied to problem-solving" is the use (or not enough use?) of technology. I can see classrooms completely changed by the use of more sophisticated programs and having students creating programs - I'm hoping that this link will work (and here I am the one talking about increased technology!):
ReplyDeletehttp://www.edutopia.org/computer-simulations-virtual-learning-video
I have been pursuing this line of thought for a while, and have come across what I think are some pretty interesting programs that are being tried, such as Quest to learn:
http://q2l.org/
and more making your own:
http://www.edutopia.org/print/1268
and some possible "how-tos":
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te200.htm
and then there is the issue of paying attention and I think that mindfulness may be an avenue for that:
http://www.dukehealth.org/health_library/health_articles/howtobringmoremindfulness
best to all, Catherine Gilpin
I would like to address the capability of "collaboration." The use of Kagan Cooperative Learning structures in the classroom lends itself to collaboration. Kagan Cooperative Learning allows students to work in teams and build classroom communities. The structures provide accountability for all students and enable them to take risks that they might not otherwise have taken. Building classroom communities where students feel safe to take risks and work with others respecting their differences in turn leads to some of the other listed capabilities such as empathy, valuing other opinions, problem-solving, flexibility, effective communication, and social skills as well as others. --Jennifer Epperly
ReplyDeleteThe capability to think as a global society and being open to the beliefs and practices exercised by various cultures will be (and is today, to a great extent) imperative for success in many facets of life, including the classroom K-20, work, home and community. As our nation evolves towards a largely service and health profession society, the services we provide must be in line with others around the world so that we can be competitive. Without a high quality of services provided, we have no chance to succeed. And where do we learn how to be competitive in a team of diverse learners? The answer, of course, lies within our classrooms where we learn how to work with others and only grows when we further our education in the post-secondary realm and within the workplace. Also, while we interact with other cultures and we accept jobs in parts of the world other than our own, we will become even more diverse, blending cultures within our communities and homes. For example, we have the opportunity to learn and improve much when we look at the health-related habits held by others when we are open thinkers.
ReplyDeleteI chose two, “open minded to various careers” and “realize where they are and where they want to be and develop a plan to get there.”
ReplyDeleteI enjoy asking adults about how they chose their career and/or the training that prepared them for the job. The same story repeats itself, “In junior high I had a class where I got to….” I knew I wanted to be an architect, an engineer, a scientist, a leader, serve people… Their world of discovery bloomed during their middle school years.
As our students discover connections between their natural interests/aptitudes and career goals, I feel they will see the relevance and importance of staying in school and doing their best to achieve their future goals. A cooperative effort between home, school and community will provide the rich environment necessary for our students’ success.
I completely agree with your post above Jennifer. Using Kagan structures in the classroom proves to be an invaluable experience for our students. It is my belief that students need to learn collaboration skills as these skills translate into the work force. Young professionals need to be equipped with problem solving skills, effective communication styles, and social skills resulting in accountability. Learning collaboratively ensures success and builds risk-takers in our business world who are able to think 'outside the box'.
ReplyDelete-Becky Ziegler
I'd like to address empathy. Though I think that's really a timeless trait for anyone, it's particularly important in an exceedingly complex world.
ReplyDeleteFew exemplify the role of empathy better than teachers because they have to support and guide students coming from vastly different circumstances, be it socio-economic status, speaking different languages, learning ability, etc. Teaching students empathy goes beyond bullying prevention. As kids grow into adults, they need to not only understand the various situations others face, but how to work positively with others and not allow different experiences or circumstances to create a barrier.
While you often see empathy within classroom, better incorporating that in other areas of the education system is the next step. Look no further than AYP and NCLB for evidence of empathy lacking in education policy.
Outside the walls of our schools, empathy makes us better coworkers, parents, managers, etc. because it guides how we approach roles and relationships with others.
Ever seen a VCR blinking noon, noon, noon? I used to get tickled when my mom would call me to reset the time so she "tape" her favorite show. Technologies had changed so much since that box made it possible for her to stay with her friends playing bridge, and then return home at her leisure to watch her "soap opera." Today's technologies have progressed much faster and have taken opportunities to communicate, watch and learn to new levels. Our students today are living in a world where multi-tasking is just a way of life. Cell phone allow a multitude of methods to communicate and learn from texting, internet access, photo sharing, applications for about anything you wish, and games all rolled up into tiny device that has almost made a common land line phone extinct.
ReplyDeleteWebinars eliminate the need for traveling to a conference or meeting. A person can skype their way into homes without traveling for a visit. All these devices require that one method phases out for the new way or method. Problem solving and creativity are necessary and important to our world as we enter one phase into the next. It is a consideration that if technology offers our multi-tasking youth to handle more than one thing at a time, I hope there are classes on how to multi-task using all this technology. In fact, I am still trying to fiqure out how to make the sounds change on my cell phone as we speak. Who will offer all the professional development on these things? Ann W.
The ability to be a critical thinker and a problem solver is a key trait to surviving the ever changing world of technology!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in college, my professors used 80 column cards to teach us how to load hundreds of lines of program code into a "huge" IBM mainframe system for running our program code. Your digital watch has many times more computing power than a mainframe system of those days. So then next came the IBM personal computer in 1990 with two diskette drives, one for the operating system and the other for the business program to be loaded.
Our kids today need to be able to adapt to change and be agile in their thought processes.
Technology changes so fast and so is the "global" environment in which we live...
Rick G.
Collaboration: the classroom- cooperative learning projects, the workplace- working with others within your own company as well as with other companies and customers, higher education- collaborating with other teachers accross departments, at home- working with family members within agreed upon expectations and norms, and within the community- knowing social norms and working with others on community services such as "donating time" to better the community.
ReplyDelete